Euro 2024: Group A Preview
Hosts Germany are hoping to usher in a bright new era, and who better to turn to, than their young star and reigning Bundesliga Player of the Year Florian Wirtz?
Germany
FIFA Rank: 16th
Qualified as: Hosts
The Skinny
It's a joke almost as old as the sport itself: "Football is a game in which 11 men play 11 men, and at the end of 90 minutes, Germany wins." And yet? Since winning the World Cup in 2014, Germany have struggled immensely to get back to the upper echelon of the sport. They reached the semifinals of the following Euros, but only thanks to surviving a marathon shootout against an underdog Italy, and then failed to progress to the knockout stages in the ensuing two World Cups, and three years ago in this tournament, despite playing home matches in Munich, barely got out of the group stage, and were immediately dispatched in the Round of 16 by old rivals England. There's no question this year's hosts come into the tournament on the back of their worst stretch in at least 20 years, but hope abounds for Die Mannschaft. Manager Julian Nagelsmann has a proven track record of maximizing young talent, and this is a squad laden with exciting young talent, with a healthy splash of veterans who have been among the best in the world at their position. Throw in a favorable group draw and passionate home backing, and it's hard not to see the parallels between this side and the Italy team that won it in 2021.
The Best XI
As this is the first iteration of what will be 24 different 'Best XI's, let me start with this disclaimer: these are not necessarily how these teams will line up. Rather, they're my take on which lineup would put the maximum of each team's talent on the field to start. Case in point, I seriously doubt Nagelsmann would trot out this highly unconventional lineup...but I'd love it if he did. If there's one weakness in this Deutschland team, it's that they're thin at the back (making the exclusion of Dortmund's Matt Hummels all the more baffling), but this would nullify that with proven CBs from Dortmund, Real Madrid, and Bayer Leverkusen, and a somewhat defensive midfield of versatile Munich star Joshua Kimmich, and two modern greats in Toni Kroos and Ilkay Gündoğan. The biggest personnel questions will be at the two poles of the pitch: Nagelsmann has a wonderful problem trying to decide between two of the best keepers in the world (and modern history) in Manuel Neuer and Barcelona's Marc-Andre ter Stegen; the latter is in the better form of his career, but I think Neuer may win the start based on experience and seniority. On the other end, Germany is laden with young attacking talent, and it would be a shock to not see some permutation of Leroy Sané, Jamal Musiala (both of Bayern Munich) and reigning Bundesliga Player of the Season Florian Wirtz (Leverkusen). But apart from Borussia Dortmund's Niclas Füllkrug, they lack a pure striker. They could certainly do worse than the athletically-limited-but-reliable Füllkrug, but I actually think they might be best served by utilizing Kai Havertz, who has experienced a bit of a renaissance in his first season with Arsenal, and whose national team form has consistently outpaced that of his club.
Scotland
FIFA Rank: 39th
Qualified as: Group A runner-up
The Skinny
Scotland is a football-mad nation, but their passion has always vastly outweighed their history, which is mostly littered with heartbreak and dissatisfaction. Having failed to qualify for a World Cup in the 21st century, and failed to progress out of the group stage of a major tournament ever-- even 3 years ago with two matches in Glasgow and a fairly favorable draw --expectations will be low for The Tartan Army, though that won't stop their raucous, loyal fans from showing up in full voice. And, speak it quietly: they might just have something to cheer about this time. Scotland's qualified for back-to-back tournaments for the first time since 1992, have an experienced squad full of Premier League players, and enter off the back of a very impressive qualifying campaign, in which their sole loss was to Spain in Seville.
The Best XI
It would be dishonest to label Scotland a "deep" team, but they could trot out a starting XI that frankly, a lot of teams in the world would be happy to have. The injury to Lyndon Dykes makes it all the likelier that the Tartans will start Ché Adams up top, who just helped lead Southampton back up the Premier League. A 5-man midfield would include Adams' Southampton teammate Stuart Armstrong, and some other Premier League mainstays in John McGinn (Aston VIlla), Scott McTominay (Manchester United), Billy Gilmour (Brighton), and Ryan Christie (Bournemouth). Having one of the best left-backs in the world in Liverpool's Andy Robertson means that another class left-back in Kieran Tierey will likely be shifted over to the right-hand side; the two fullbacks will flank a very experienced core in Liam Cooper (Leeds), Grant Hanley and Angus Gunn (both of Norwich City).
Hungary
FIFA Rank: 26th
Qualified as: Group G winners
The Skinny
A lot of what was said about Scotland could apply to Hungary as well: one of the strongest footballing nations in the world some 70-odd years ago, the Magyarok haven't tasted success on the field in a long time, having not qualified for the World Cup in 40 years, and going 44 years between European Championship appearances. Their fanbase is enthusiastic and passionate, though, and they have had more to cheer about over the last decade; Magyarorszag has now qualified for three consecutive Euros, and are looking to overacheive for the third consecutive time. In 2016, they were supposed to finish last in their group and instead topped it, shocking everyone as they progressed to the knockout stages ahead of eventual champions Portugal. In 2021, they actually finished last, but amidst an all-time Group of Death, they more than held their own, fighting France and Germany (the latter in Munich) to draws, and only losing to Portugal in the last 10 minutes. Their surprise success in 2016 and strong showing 3 years ago will inject a lot of belief into this side, as will a group-topping, undefeated performance in qualifying this go-round.
The Best XI
One problem with Hungary's squad is evident right away when looking at the above picture: the lack of a true forward. They have no shortage of very good attacking options in captain and Liverpool star Dominik Szoboszlai, Freiburg's Roland Sallai, and 2022 MLS Golden Boot winner Dániel Gazdag. But all three are much more of the "attacking midfielder" variety, which is where the retirement of 2016 and 2021 star striker Ádám Szalai hurts them. They could, of course, use the services of one of the Hungarian league-based forwards they did call up, but I think to hang with the talent of their Euro competitors, they would be better served with the aforementioned trio working as a "false 9." Moving back, their midfield features players in Germany, Italy and England, and a strong back 5 highlights a Premier League starter in Milos Kerkez, and three Bundesliga starters in Attila Szalai, Willi Orbán and goalkeper Péter Gulásci, the latter two of RB Leipzig.
Switzerland
FIFA Rank: 19th
Qualified as: Group I runner-up
The Skinny
For much of the 21st century, Switzerland have consistently been a "next tier" team: consistently solid, with a team full of players playing at Europe's highest level, but never actually dynamic enough to create significant noise in the major tournaments. That certainly was true in the last major tournament we've seen the Nati play in, as they finished 2nd in their 2022 World Cup group, before getting annihilated by Portugal in the Round of 16. However, some 18 months before that, in this very competition, they showed signs of breaking through. Qualifying for the knockout stages in a group with hosts and eventual champions Italy, they stunned world champions France in the Round of 16, reaching their first major tournament quarterfinals since the 1954 World Cup (hosted in Switzerland), and came within touching distance of the semifinals, before falling in penalties to Spain. A balanced and experienced squad of players that feature at some of the best clubs in Europe lends credence to the belief that 2021 was not a one-off.
The Best XI
Much like groupmates Germany, Switzerland have the unusual 'good dilemma' of needing to decide between two outstanding goalies. Borussia Dortmund's Gregor Kobel was outstanding this season, and played a huge role in their Cinderella run to the Champions League Final. But I think it's still 2021 hero and longtime starter Yann Sommer's gig to lose, as the vet continued to impress for a phenomenal Inter Milan team this year. At the other end of the pitch, Monaco's Breel Emoblo may only be 27, but has been a Swiss starter as far back as I can remember; he'll be bolstered in attack this time by two exciting young talents in Milan's Noah Okafor and Augsburg's Ruben Vargas. The midfield trio of Remo Freuler (Bologna), Denis Zakaria (Monaco), and Granit Xhaka (Bayer Leverkusen) have been mainstays for Switzerland for nearly a decade, and the latter is fresh off a terrific year for one of the best teams in Europe this season. An equally-experienced back line includes two Premier League studs in Manchester City's Manuel Akanji, and Newcastle's Fabian Schär.
Group Prediction
Even in the peak of their powers from the late aughts to the mid-2010s, Germany seemed to always follow the same pattern: start very strong, weirdly have a sizable dropoff in Game 2, then close out group play on a high, riding into the knockout stages with momentum. I expect the hosts to rediscover that trend, with a big win in the opener over Scotland and a solid win over Switzerland in Game 3 sandwiched around a surprise draw by Hungary. I do think the Swiss will edge out Hungary in the group opener, giving them the head-to-head advantage for 2nd place, though with 4 points, Hungary will still be well-positioned for the knockout stages. Poor Scotland really isn't leagues behind any of their group opponents, especially not the Swiss or Hungarians, but I just don't think they have the firepower to take points off more than one of them.
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